New York Law Firm Representing Thousands of 9/11 Victims, Survivors and Responders Reflects on 25 Years of Remembrance as Newly Released Records Renew Focus on Post-9/11 Air Quality and Health Risks

NEW YORK, Sept. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Twenty-five years have passed since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, but the lives lost, the sacrifices made and the extraordinary courage displayed that day remain firmly in the nation’s memory. Parker Waichman LLP joins New Yorkers and people across the United States in honoring the nearly 3,000 people who were killed, their families and loved ones, the survivors, and the first responders whose heroism defined one of the most difficult days in American history.

For Parker Waichman LLP, the 25th anniversary carries particular meaning. The firm has had the privilege of representing thousands of members of the 9/11 community, including first responders, recovery workers, survivors, residents and others whose lives and health were forever changed by the attacks and their aftermath.

The consequences of September 11 did not end when the fires were extinguished or the recovery efforts at Ground Zero concluded. Responders, workers, students and residents in and around Lower Manhattan were exposed to dust, smoke, debris and other contaminants. For many, cancers, respiratory illnesses, digestive disorders and other serious health conditions emerged years or even decades later.

Those continuing health consequences have taken on renewed significance with New York City’s September 8 release of approximately 170,000 pages of long-withheld records concerning post-9/11 air quality, health concerns and the City’s response. The records include the frequently referenced Harding Memo and materials from 68 boxes that the City says were not located until 2025 despite multiple Freedom of Information Law requests.

The release has renewed scrutiny of what government officials knew about hazardous conditions in Lower Manhattan, when they knew it, and what was communicated to the public. Advocates for the 9/11 community have characterized the decades-long withholding of information as a cover-up, pointing to records suggesting officials were aware of serious concerns about toxic exposure even as the public was being reassured about air quality.

“For the thousands of people who became sick after September 11, these records are more than historical documents,” said Jerrold S. Parker, Founding Partner of Parker Waichman LLP. “Whether one calls it a cover-up, a failure of transparency or a failure to tell the public the full truth, responders, workers, residents and survivors deserved to know what was known about the air they were breathing and when it was known. They should not have had to wait 25 years for answers. Transparency and accountability still matter.”

Parker added, “September 11 remains deeply personal for all of us at Parker Waichman. We have had the privilege of getting to know thousands of responders, survivors and families whose lives were forever changed. Our obligation to the 9/11 community did not end at Ground Zero. We must continue to stand with them, fight for them and make certain they are never forgotten.”

The anniversary is also a time to remember the extraordinary bravery displayed on September 11 and throughout the months that followed. Firefighters, police officers, emergency medical personnel, Port Authority officers, construction and cleanup workers, union members, volunteers and countless others rushed toward danger, searched through wreckage, assisted the injured and remained at Ground Zero and other recovery sites for weeks and months.

Twenty-five years later, preserving those stories has taken on new importance. An entire generation has reached adulthood without a personal memory of September 11. At the same time, programs providing medical monitoring, treatment and compensation remain critically important as responders and survivors continue to be diagnosed with illnesses potentially related to their exposure.

Parker Waichman LLP has spent years advocating on behalf of the 9/11 community and helping eligible individuals and families navigate programs created to assist those affected by the attacks and their aftermath. Through that work, the firm has seen firsthand that September 11 is not simply a historical event; its consequences continue to be felt by responders, survivors and families throughout New York and across the country.

On this 25th anniversary, Parker Waichman LLP remembers every life taken on September 11, 2001, and every person whose life was shortened by a 9/11-related illness in the years that followed. We honor the survivors and the first responders, recovery workers, volunteers and ordinary citizens whose courage revealed the strength of New York and the nation.

Twenty-five years later, the promise remains the same: We will never forget.

About Parker Waichman LLP

Parker Waichman LLP is a nationally recognized law firm headquartered in New York that has long advocated on behalf of individuals and families affected by the September 11 terrorist attacks. The firm represents thousands of members of the 9/11 community, including first responders, recovery workers, survivors, residents, workers and families seeking assistance and compensation related to the lasting health consequences of September 11.

Media Contact:

Jerrold S. Parker
Phone: 516-466-6500
Email: jparker@yourlawyer.com

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SOURCE Parker Waichman LLP